Fresh fruit desserts are always a crowd favorite. Here, discover three scrumptious recipes from WeHeal, a healthcare founded by the pioneering physicians from the groundbreaking film Forks Over Knives.
Strawberry Galette
This galette is simple, sweet, and satisfying. It’s oil-free and does not contain dairy, eggs, or refined sugar. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. And it would be lovely with a little cashew or coconut cream for a more decadent dessert.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup and 4 tablespoons of unbleached white or whole wheat pastry flour
- 3 tablespoons of almond flour
- 1 tablespoon of dry sweetener (date or coconut sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup of unsweetened plant milk
- 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cashew yogurt
Filling:
- 3 cups of sliced strawberries
- 1 tablespoon of dry sweetener
- 3 large pitted dates, chopped (medjool or any kind)
- Fresh lemon juice and zest, about 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tablespoon of arrowroot or organic corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Slice strawberries, and toss in a bowl with sweetener, chopped dates, lemon, and arrowroot or cornstarch. Stir to coat. Allow to sit while you make the crust.
- In a large bowl, mix in the dry ingredients. Using a fork, mix in the yogurt until you have clumps. Stir in 1/4 cup of plant milk, and using your hands, begin to form a ball. If it’s too dry, add the plant milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a soft dough. Knead a few times so the ingredients come together, but don’t overdo it.
- Sprinkle a little flour on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Take your ball of dough and place it in the center of the paper. Using your hands, press and flatten the dough into a circle or oval, then roll it out with a rolling pin (or bottle) until it is flat and even all around. Spoon the fruit into the middle, and spread evenly, leaving an inch of dough uncovered around the perimeter. Carefully fold up the outer circle, and pinch together as you go around so that the dough covers the fruit by about an inch or a little more. Brush the fold of dough with plant milk and sprinkle with dry sweetener.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for five to 10 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Chia Compote
An easy recipe for breakfasts and desserts, this is an ideal recipe for those who want something sweet that’s healthy and not full of refined sugar. Try it with oatmeal or overnight oats, on pancakes, brownies, banana pudding, and waffles.
Ingredients
- 10- to 12-ounce bag of frozen strawberries, defrosted
- 4 to 5 pitted medjool dates
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
Instructions
- Pulse the dates and the strawberries until they have broken down, stir in the chia, and put in a sealed container in the fridge overnight.
- You may prefer to keep the dates partially intact, but you can process until smooth if you’d like. You can also just put everything in the blender or food processor. We like to stir the chia seeds in for a chunkier texture.
Banana Pudding
This healthy recipe contains only five ingredients, but it is nostalgia on a spoon and is ideal for those craving something sweet.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 10 to 12 pitted medjool dates
- 1 container of extra firm silken tofu
- 1 tablespoon of alcohol-free vanilla
- 1 tablespoon of coconut or cashew cream, or plant milk (for low fat)
Variations:
- If you do not want to use tofu, you can omit and add more banana and cream/plant milk. A can of drained white beans or chickpeas would work well. Beans are wonderful and healthy additions to desserts.
- Another option is to add two baked and peeled Japanese sweet potatoes, which are sweet, rich, creamy, and full of nutrients and fiber.
- A more decadent and higher fat version (but still way lower than eggs or dairy) would be a cup of soaked and drained raw cashews (soak in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or soak in filtered water overnight or for at least four hours).
Instructions
Put everything in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Eat right away, or chill in the fridge for an hour or more (it will get really thick—and stay delicious).
